Newbie sampling questions

Hey all, got two questions that i need some help with, im quite new to sampling so bare with me please.

First of all, if you find a dope sample and it contains drums what is the best way/s to go about using the sample. I understand this can be pretty much dependant on what the sample is but i just wanted a few pointers really, how do you approach samples like this?

Secondly, im using the new JJOS on the MPC 2500 and im struggling with chopping things in the machine. Using auto chop i just seem to get a mad amount of randomly placed, varied sized slices. Any tips in this area would be extremely helpful also.

Thanks a lot in advance people.

Glydez wrote:First of all, if you find a dope sample and it contains drums what is the best way/s to go about using the sample. I understand this can be pretty much dependant on what the sample is but i just wanted a few pointers really, how do you approach samples like this?

U would chop each melody chop with each drum underneath, either as single hits or 2 beat type hits..

so some melody chops will contain a kick and a hi hat, some will contain a snare and a hi hat... some this way but oposite, like hi hat - snare.. and / or hi hat - kick etc...

Then u just sequence these chops in the right places so any melody chop which starts on a kick u put on one of ur kicks.. same with chops with snares under or whatever else u chopped around in ur melody.

Its alot simpler then it first looks, a hell of alot

i love working with samples with drums in them... it makes it easier to chop. like complex said... chop based on the percussion... i like to chop really small. start with the kick and stop right before the high hat taps... then start your next chop on that high hat and stop it right before the snare, ect.
peep this clip of pete rock....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQWxrWSsI2k

Yeah i see what you sayin, thats real helpful bro thanks. Using that method will your chops be of equal length and is it important that they are? Im guessing it makes things easier as like on that video Pete Rock was just able to rearrange pieces as he pleased as they were equal in length. How can you chop so that the pieces you are left with are like full hits and dont inadvertadly cut out but each one is of equal length?
Hope this makes sense
Thanks for the help, is much appreciated.

It all depends on what kinda sample your chopping. Sometimes I chop my sample by time/percussion so that I end up with 4 or 8 chops from a 1 bar sample. Other times I chop more by sounds than by time. All depends on what you wanna achieve if you ask me.

Dunno about the 2500 with the JJ OS since I only got an xl and a 60. But on my xl I use the auto chop feature sometimes but I mostly do it manually though. Damn funk/jazz musicians don't always keep their timing tight

dont only chop into individual hits...

Its about choppin so u have maybe 2 or 3 sounds contained in each chop, then do variations of each so the next variation might start 1 sound later and have an extra sound at the end as aposed to the others dont etc..

This way u get a real natural flow and dope sequences compared to just 1 hit chops.. its one of the small over looked things which seperates alot of beat makers, coz if u can work that good it will really help ur beats and u'll progress fast